Improvement in water-wheels



J. J. 'BOURGEOIS. WATER-WHEEL.

No. 192,671. 7 Patented July 3,1877.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER WASHINGTON, D (Iv UNITED STATES PATENTJAMES J. BOURGEOIS, OF ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAT ER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,671, dated July 3,1877; application filed May 8, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. BoURGEoIs,

. do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description of the same.

My present invention relates to an improvement upon that for which Ireceived Letters Patent of the United States, No. 171,088, datedDecember 14, 1875.

In the former invention, horizontally-sliding gates are arranged overthe wheel to regulate and out off the flow of water to the wheel. Whenthere is a full head of water, the vertical pressure on the gates causesso much friction that it is difficult to operate them. To avoid thisresult I have devised a two-part hinged gate, and arranged it beneaththe wheel, together with a shaft and chains for operating it, ashereinafter fullydescribed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a sectional elevation of a wheel-casing and gate, the latter beingshown closed by full lines, and open by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is across-section of the wheel-casin g on line :10 a, Fig. 1, representingthe gate open. Fig. 3 represents a modification.

In the several figures, A indicates the easing or part of the flume inwhich the turbine wheel B is placed. 0 is a rotating shaft, arrangedhorizontally beneath the wheel, and having its hearings in the casing A.This shaft is provided with pulleys or chain-wheels a a, on which arewound the chains 1;, for raising and lowering the hinged parts of thegate.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the gate is shown formed of two semicircular parts, D,hinged on a central rod, 01. A gate of this construction is mostsuitable for use where there is little fall, the hinged parts D openingdownward in a holein the bed of the stream, in order to give as muchfall as possible.

In Fig. 3 I show a modification best adapted for heavy streams with agood fall, the parts D of the gate being attached to separate parallelrods d, their inner ends overlapping, and their outer ends resting onshoulders or brackets attached to the inner side of the casing.

In this case said parts D fold upward, when opening, to allow thedischarge of water from the wheel. I

' My improved construction and arrangement of gate enables it to-beeasily operated for closing the discharge-opening of the wheel, orregulating the flow of water for increasing or diminishing the rapidityof rotation of the wheel.

What I claim is- The gate made in two semicircular parts, D, hinged on arod or rods beneath the wheel B, the shaft 0, having pulleys a,attached, and the chains 1), all constructed as shown and described.

. JAMES J. BOURGEOIS.

Witnesses:

L. A. EVANS, PAUL DURUPT.

Frroe.

